Active implantable medical devices to which the present invention applies, hereinafter called “implants”, comprise a data memory that can be read by means of an external programmer by telemetry techniques that are well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art. The external programmer is associated with a microcomputer, comprising a display screen, a keyboard or other input interface for the entry of control commands and data, as well as memory and associated software for data memorizing (storage) and data processing.
The practitioner who uses the programmer is generally a specialized doctor, for example, the physician who implanted the device or one who works in close co-operation with the implanting physician, oftentimes in the same hospital complex. Such a practitioner has total control over the operation of the programmer and thus direct access to the data stored in the memory of the implant, as well as the ability to read, set and modify the various “programming” controls, i.e., the commands used to modify the parameter settings and the functioning of the implant.
The starting point of the present invention is the observation that the memory of the implant contains data likely to be of interest to another practitioner (referred to herein as the “follow-up practitioner”), either another medical specialist or the regular practitioner physician who ensures the current follow-up of the patient. If one takes the example of a cardiac implant, the first practitioner (i.e., the practitioner who is the implanting physician or works with that person) is a specialized doctor known as an “electrophysiologist” or “rhythmologist”, and the follow-up practitioner is a specialized doctor such as a cardiologist or the regular practitioner who ensures the current follow-up of the patient following implantation.
The cardiologist typically receives a report from the electrophysiologist, who includes interpretations related to the functioning of the implant and eventually to the heartbeat rate. However, the clinical state of the patient implies a focus on employing other parameters in particular to cure pathologies, to prescribe a medication, etc.; tasks that are specific to the cardiologist and not in the area of the electrophysiologist. It will be noted that the cardiologist has the report of the electrophysiologist and the results of the clinical examinations performed by or for the cardiologist, on which a diagnosis, such as desired changes to device operating parameters and/or prescribed medications, may be based.
However, there are certain data the knowledge of which could be interesting to help the follow-up practitioner (e.g., the cardiologist) to pose a diagnosis. This preexistent data are stored in the memory of the implant.
Generally, however the follow-up practitioner does not have a programmer that would allow him to read the memory of the implant, which would also suppose that he or she is trained to use such a programmer, apparatus that also is able to modify the programming of the implant. Moreover, the reading of the complete set of data within the memory implies a selection and analysis of that data, work that in practice makes difficult the usage of a programmer by the follow-up practitioner.